If there is one front office that is not afraid to make big moves in the NHL, it is the Minnesota Wild. Bill Guerin successfully secured the franchise cornerstone, Kirill Kaprizov, by offering a sum so huge that it is barely believable to this day. Eventually, he added star defenseman Quinn Hughes to the lineup, bolstering it even further.
The Minnesota Wild need all the help they can, as they play in the Central Division against teams like Nathan MacKinnon’s Colorado Avalanche. Interestingly, both the Wild and the Avs were recently linked to a veteran forward who has been at the center of trade rumors lately.
Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild Floated As Potential Suitors for Ryan O’Reilly
34-year-old Ryan O’Reilly is nearing the end of his four-year, $18 million contract with the Nashville Predators, and trade speculation surrounding the veteran is only getting louder every day. The forward is one who is bound to invite sufficient interest: O’Reilly is affordable and, for his age, continues to produce at an admirable level.
However, one significant obstacle could emerge to any development on this front. According to Pierre LeBrun, O’Reilly has informed interested teams that he is not interested in leaving at all. LeBrun even went so far as to suggest that a move involving the 34-year-old might not take place at all.
Despite it all, it is hard not to notice O’Reilly’s impeccable fit in other NHL teams such as the Avalanche and the Wild.
If the Avs make a move for the forward, it will be almost cinematic. But there would be merit to the move than just simply bringing O’Reilly back to the team that kick-started his NHL career. “Not only would it bring O’Reilly back to the place his career began, but he would also solidify the Avalanche down the middle of the ice, perhaps better than any other available player,” wrote Jesse Granger in a contribution to The Athletic.Â
The Avs are already in terrific form; adding O’Reilly to the mix would make the team even more formidable. “O’Reilly would give Jared Bednar another option to create matchup problems for the opposition in the playoffs and make the best team in the league even scarier.”
Not just the Avs, Minnesota would also benefit greatly if O’Reilly decides to take his talents to the team. The standout forward could lend a helping hand to improve many areas that the Wild have been struggling with.
“Perennially, the Wild are one of the NHL’s worst faceoff teams, and they’re tied for 28th this year. O’Reilly’s tremendous in the circle. The Wild also rank 25th on the penalty kill, an area he can help. He can score and he’s incredibly disciplined, so he’d fit in,” wrote Michael Russo.
Of course, any such discussion is moot given that O’Reilly has expressed his desire to remain with the Predators. He does not have the protection of a no-trade clause, but the front office in Nashville will likely heed his desires before making any decision, further complicating the situation.
